The Rapides Parish high school athletic year 2023-24 ended Wednesday, but just barely, as Menard dropped a 1-0 battle with St. Charles Catholic at Sulphur in the LHSAA’s Select Division III baseball semifinals.

Menard was the last parish team still in contention in the final LHSAA sport being contested this school year.

Tuesday, in the Select Division V semis, Rapides and Grace Christian were both eliminated. Grace Christian, seeded second, fell 7-6 to No. 3 Family Christian and finished with a 26-10 record.  Rapides, the fifth seed, dropped a 6-0 decision to No. 1 Avoyelles Christian and finished with an overall 13-17 mark.

The No. 4 Eagles had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with two out in the top of the seventh but top-seeded St. Charles Catholic survived when pitcher Brady St. Pierre induced a groundout to end the contest and complete a three-hitter.

The Comets managed just two hits off Menard’s Coen Laroux, but one was an RBI double in the second inning by Noah Troxclair for what proved to be the game’s only tally.

Menard (23-9) sends out a 14-player senior class that finished as state finalists last year and semifinalists this season. The Eagles’ most recent previous baseball state tourney appearance came in 2007, when today’s players were babies or not even born.